Software park driving innovation in Shanghai

Every time he sees his next-door neighbors, Shen Tianyi feels he is staring at his future.

"We feel happy to be a neighbor to world-famous companies, such as SAP and IBM. They are our benchmark, as well as our development direction," the 30-year-old said.

Shen, who has started his own business software company, works with his team at Shanghai Pudong Software Park, which is home to such software companies as SAP from Germany; CSTC, the former Citigroup Services and Technology (China), from the US; Capgemini from France; and Infosys from India. "The park has provided us with great working conditions and first-class service," Shen said.

"More important are all the conveniences that you have. Almost everyone on my team has settled down in this area," he said.

Located in the Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai Pudong Software Park was jointly established by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Shanghai's municipal government in 2002 to promote the country's information industry.

It also was selected as the National Software Industrial Base and National Software Outsourcing Base.

Over the past two decades, mobile Internet, service outsourcing, chip design, electronic commerce and other industries have taken root in the park. The park's output in 2013 surpassed 55 billion yuan ($8.94 billion).

Zhang Sulong, general manager of the software park, said: "We have not merely concentrated on the construction of office buildings. Over the past few years, the park has been actively supporting and upgrading industrial cluster innovation."

Miao Jiabo, a staffer there, said: "With more and more high-tech personnel moving to the park, we began to pay more attention to their needs, trying to create a more comfortable environment for their work and life in the park."

Miao said they wanted to develop a new industrial community that integrated office buildings, ecological environment, and cultural and social life.

The third phase of the park construction is dedicated to human activities and being "green". The area of cultural communities, gardens and parkland accounts for about a half of the total area.

The final part of the third phase is the high-tech shopping mall Huizhi International Life Center, which is set to have its soft opening later this year.

The center has a total construction area of 110,000 square meters.

It introduced the HOPSCA development pattern, a term coined by Chinese real estate developers for complexes composed of a group of diverse facilities and functions, such as hotels, offices, shopping malls, convention space and apartments.

"As a new city center, it will become a landmark in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park," said Zhang, the park's general manager.

Software developer Shen echoed that assessment. "In the past, people working here had to go downtown for shopping or entertainment. Now, life in the park has become easier."

To further expand its channels of communication, Shanghai Pudong Software Park recently launched an official WeChat ID, microblog and website, on which the latest information about the park will be shared.

"Now we are looking for more effective ways to improve the park's service capacity and drive more commerce," Zhang said.